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| Barnacle geese in the cannon net awaiting ringing and release. |
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| Geese queuing up to be measured |
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| Dr Steve Percival placing a ring around a leg.... |
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| Suitably labelled - away we go.... |
120 Barnacle geese were captured this morning on
the RSPB nature reserve up at Loch Gruinart. using a cannon net. The geese feed
and roost in huge flocks and it is possible, but by no means easy, to lure them
within range of the net by baiting the ground with corn.
Once caught, various measurements are taken, and
three rings placed on the legs. One is a red 'locality ring' which can easily
be seen with binoculars and shows that the bird was caught in a particular
location (it might be a red ring for Gruinart, but a blue ring for Bowmore for
example). There is also a white 'Darvic Ring' which can be read, with luck and
skill, while using a telescope, and then there is the standard metal BTO ring
which can only be read by recapturing the bird, or finding it dead. So each
bird captured is eventually released adorned with a fair amount of leg
ornament.
The feeding behaviour patterns, population
structure and breeding success of these Barnacle geese is of increasing interest
to Islay's farmers, who are compensated by the Scottish Government for the very
significant damage they do to grazing on the island which would otherwise be
available to livestock. The existence of the flocks also means that farmers
delay the seeding of the barley fields that are 'growing for Bruichladdich'. In
recent years, in common with all areas of public expenditure, the budget
available for this compensation has been cut. Some of islay's farmers are now
calling for a cull to reduce the numbers.
The cannon netting is co-ordinated by Dr Steve
Percival who, with his wife Tracey, has been coming to Islay to study the flocks
of wintering geese for many years.
